The Kangra earthquake

An earthquake of roughly magnitude 7.8 struck the Kangra valley on the morning of 4 April 1905, killing about 20,000 people and destroying much of Kangra town, Dharamshala and McLeodganj. Kangra fort was reduced to the ruin seen today; the Baijnath temple survived with damage.

Himachal Pradesh lies largely in seismic zones IV and V, and the 1905 event is the standard reference in disaster-management answers.